Dawncloud Chronicles: Book One: Rising Dawn
by Raincloud's Legacy
Summary: Dawnpaw is a the spunky daughter of Softflower and Thunderstar. She doesn't look anything like her father or act like him. She begins to thinnk she isn't related to him. Follow Dawnpaw as she journeys to find out who her father really is.
1. Prologue

**I'm finally done with StormClan, so this is going to be my next story. It's a trilogy about one cat. I hope everyone likes it, and please review!**

The light, creamy colored cat panted heavily. The air was thick with snow, and she was freezing. The queen realized that it was going to be hard to deliver kits in freezing cold weather.

"It's okay my love," the cat's mate, gently licked her flank. The cat had another contraction, and they could see a tiny head peeping through. The cat's mate smiled as he saw his kit for the first time ever.

"You're doing great , just push a little more," the medicine cat spoke words of encouragement, but looked around nervously. This wasn't his home turf and he didn't have the proper herbs for the first-time mother. The medicine cat knew that this pairing would always come out to a bad ending, and this definitely was bad. They would never see each other after this, what was the point of coming out here? Why did they have to travel? Why couldn't the father come to there place? The medicine cat looked around nervously, he knew that the clans would notice that they were gone very soon.

The cat pushed one last time, and a tiny kit, identical to her mother came into the world. The kit shivered a little, it's wet pelt making her freeze in the cold air.

"She's beautiful, her color is like the color of dawn," her mate purred.

The queen gave her kit a lick. "We shall call her Dawnkit." The medicine cat left and went to go pack up for the long voyage home as her mate smiled at the panting she-cat. He was a respected warrior, and the best hunter in all of the world, in his mate's opinion. Their daughter was bound to be the best kit in all of the world as well.

That cat knew he would never see his daughter again, but got a good look at her before she left. He knew she was perfect, and would be polite, well-behaved, the best cat in the world. He didn't know how wrong he was.

**I know that was short, but it's only a prologue. Please review, I really appreciate that. I'll try to update soon!**


	2. Dawn Patrol

**Hey guys here's the next chapter, please read and review!! I need at least five reviews! Come on! I know you can do it!**

Dawnpaw burst into the ThunderClan camp, shaking the rain of her pelt. She looked very proud of herself. Her mentor Yellowstripe followed the rebellious apprentice, on his side was the deputy, Coldeyes. They had just come back from the dawn patrol.

"I'm taking you to see Thunderstar," Yellowstripe looked sternly at his apprentice.

Dawnpaw looked up at the warrior incredulously. "Why would you do that?" she hissed at him.

Coldeyes looked at the apprentice with cold eyes. "Because, you disobey everything we tell you, and you'll never become a warrior this way." He led the disobeying apprentice to their leader's den.

"Come in Coldeyes," Thunderstar's voice came out of the moss hidden den. Coldeyes nodded to Dawnpaw, and she followed him into her father's den.

Thunderstar looked at his daughter with his clear, amber eyes, while she looked back with her fierce lime green ones, "What happened this time?"

Coldeyes repeated what had happened during their patrol, "Well, we were patrolling near the ShadowClan border, when we sniffed some of their cats. Jumping to conclusions that they were on our side of the border, Dawnpaw jumped onto their deputy's back." Dawnpaw looked proud as he mentioned that, but Thunderstar gave her a menacing look. All the clans knew how vicious the ShadowClan deputy, Bloodfur, was.

"Go on Coldeyes," Thunderstar spoke with a leader like calmness.

"Well, you know how territorial Bloodfur gets, so he was just about to deliver his death blow to the apprentice, when Yellowstripe who was battling another warrior bowled him over into a bramble bush," Coldeyes finished his story. "But, before he left, Bloodfur told us he would seek revenge."

Thunderstar nodded slowly, but Dawnpaw could see the fear in his eyes.

"Thank you Coldeyes, you may go now, but can you please send in Softflower when you leave," Thunderstar dismissed his deputy.

"Of course," Coldeyes bowed his head as he departed through the moss curtain.

Almost as soon as the deputy left, Dawnpaw's mother entered the den. Dawnpaw flattened her ears when she saw her.

Softflower looked at her kit, "You better be scared. When I'm done with you, you'll wish you never even thought of going on that dawn patrol!"

"Well, I had to stick up for my clan! Those ShadowClan creeps were on our side of the border!" Dawnpaw defied her mother stubbornly.

"That isn't what Coldeyes said," Thunderstar hissed at his daughter. "They were doing a patrol, same as us. This kind of behavior must be punished, from now on until I say so, you will not go on any patrols, and feed the elders all by yourself."

"What! I'm never going to be made a warrior if I can't even go on any patrols!" Dawnpaw yowled in fury.

"You should have thought of that before you attacked ShadowClan!" Thunderstar snarled. "Me and your mother never did this when we were apprentices! Sometimes I wonder if I'm really related to you!"

Dawnpaw looked at her father in surprise. How could he have said this to his only daughter? She looked at her mother for support, but the she-cat just looked away nervously. The apprentice hurtled herself out of the den in tears.

**Please review, I really would like some!! Remember, no reviews no updating!**


	3. Secrets

**Thanks for the reviews guys. Here's the next chapter so please read and review!**

Dawnpaw flung herself onto her nest in the apprentice's den. Why would her father say such things? But, then a really scary thought came into her head.

What if they weren't related? Dawnpaw really didn't look like her father.

"No! That's silly, of course he's my father. How could I say something like that?" Dawnpaw questioned her thoughts aloud. _"If I really am related to him, then why would he say I wasn't?"_

"What's silly?"

Dawnpaw jumped up like a bee had just stung her. She whirled around and saw her best friend, Mustangpaw walk into the den.

"Oh, nothing," Dawnpaw quickly dismissed the scary thought from her mind. The light gray apprentice looked at her with his bright emerald eyes. There was such an understanding in them that Dawnpaw relented.

"Okay, fine I'll tell you. I really don't think that my father is related to me," she sighed and looked away, embarrassed at telling him this.

Mustangpaw looked at his best friend in shock, "Why would you think that?"

"Because, after I got into trouble for attacking ShadowClan, my father wondered if he really was related to me. I don't know what he was implying," Dawnpaw started to tear again.

"Dawnpaw!" a voice called from the outside of the apprentice's den. It sounded like Brownpelt, one of the elders. "You have to come and clean our moss!" The dawn-colored apprentice groaned, but got up to do the job anyway. Mustangpaw just stared after her, trying to retain the information he had just heard.

"Thunderstar! Why would you say something like that to our daughter?" Softflower hissed at the leader, her blue eyes narrowed in anger. She circled around him in the den, making worn marks in the dirt.

Thunderstar bowed his head, "I'm sorry, it's just that she acts nothing like me, looks nothing like me and just isn't me."

Softflower looked away sheepishly, "I know but we can't tell her the truth," The pretty she-cat turned away and left the den, nearly trampling Mustangpaw.

"I'm sorry," Softflower said and hurried away. Mustangpaw was scared, he had heard the whole conversation between his leader and his so-called mate. What was the real truth? Should he tell Dawnpaw?

"I think I should, I'll do it when she is done cleaning the elders nests," Mustangpaw smiled, looking proud of himself.

"Do what?" Dawnpaw bounded over to her friend. At once, Mustangpaw's grin turned to fear.

"Nothing!" he yelped. Dawnpaw looked at her friend, Mustangpaw never got upset or angry, he was always easygoing. Dawnpaw could see the fear in his emerald eyes, and she was scared.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked warily.

"No. It's nothing," Mustangpaw walked away to go join Redpaw and Bluepaw, who were sharing tongues over by the big stump. Dawnpaw just looked at her best friend, scared to see that he had a secret. A secret that he couldn't share with even his best friend.

**I really hoped you liked this chapter. Next chapter is going to be very, very interesting.** **Please review!**


	4. ShadowClan

**Hey, thanks for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter, please read and review!**

The sun was just rising over the horizon. The sky turned to a portrait of blues, pinks, and oranges. It was a beautiful day. Dawnpaw woke up, obviously not bothered about what had happened yesterday with Mustangpaw. She ran around outside, chasing a butterfly just for fun.

"This way!" Dawnpaw froze in fear. She didn't recognize that voice. It wasn't from her clan. Dawnpaw dove into a nearby bush, trying to hide from the strange cats. The young apprentice peered out from her hiding spot. It was Bloodfur and a group of ShadowClan cats! Dawnpaw gasped and quickly ran to her camp, praying the cats wouldn't see her. Her body was skimming the grass, and her ears were back.

"ShadowClan is coming to attack!" Dawnpaw gasped in mouthfuls of air, her whole body heaving from exhaustion. ThunderClan cats sprang out from their dens.

"What are you talking about?" Thunderstar climbed onto the Highledge and instantly the cats gathered around him.

"I was playing outside when I heard some cat say, "This way!" I didn't recognize the voice so I jumped into a bush. I looked to see who it was and I saw Bloodfur and other ShadowClan cats. They're going to be here any minute! We have to be ready!" Dawnpaw glanced towards the entrance to their camp.

"Cats of ThunderClan! Be ready for an ambush! They will be coming any second!" Thunderstar jumped down from the Highledge.

"Did you really see ShadowClan?" Bluepaw came up to her clanmate.

"Yes," Dawnpaw ticked her tail back and forth waiting for the ShadowClan cats to arrive.

Ashflower, ThunderClan's medicine cat quickly arranged all of the herbs, getting ready for battle.

"I see the little apprentice warned you all," a voice called out from the shadows. It was Bloodfur, trying to scare them all.

The group of cats walked into the camp, all with menacing looks on their faces.

"Get out of our camp Bloodfur!" Thunderstar hissed at the ShadowClan deputy. He arched his back and unsheathed his claws.

Bloodfur smiled, "I wouldn't think of it!" He launched himself at Thunderstar and the rest of his cats followed suit. A dark brown cat jumped onto Dawnpaw's back. She hissed and tried to get the cat off, but she stuck like a burr.

"Stupid apprentice, you tried to warn your clan about us!" the ShadowClan she-cat hissed.

"Yeah I did! I'm loyal to ThunderClan!" Dawnpaw hissed back.

"If only you knew the truth about your ThunderClan heritage!" the she-cat snarled. The statement made Dawnpaw freeze for a moment. That moment was just long enough for the ShadowClan warrior to knock Dawnpaw off of her paws. The apprentice fell to the ground hard, the wind getting knocked out of her. The ShadowClan cat laughed menacingly and got ready to kill the cat.

Dawnpaw lay on the ground panting, she had hurt her leg pretty badly. She knew the ShadowClan cat was ready to kill her. Dawnpaw waited until the cat's paw was almost at her throat, then she leaped away and over the cat's back.

"You little demon!" the she-cat shrieked. Dawnpaw smiled and jumped onto her back. She sank her claws into her pelt, and the cat screeched in terror. Dawnpaw let go as the she-cat fell to the ground.

Dawnpaw looked around and saw Mustangpaw getting outnumbered by a group of toms. She raced over to help her friend when Bloodfur bowled her over. She bared her teeth and lunged toward the cat. He raised his paw and batted her aside as if she was just a small piece of prey. Dawnpaw fell onto a boulder. Her head smacked against it, and then all was black.

**UH OH!! Cliffie!!!!!! What will happen?? Please please update and you'll find out. I know you can do it!**


	5. StarClan

**Thanks for all the great reviews!! Here's the next chapter and please read and review!**

Dawnpaw looked around. She was in the middle of a snow covered clearing. The snowflakes were fluttering down from the heavens. Dawnpaw got excited and started to run around for joy.

"Hello Dawnpaw," a fiery red tom-cat and a lighter ginger she-cat walked up to her. They had starlight coated around them. Dawnpaw knew right away that they were StarClan cats.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Dawnpaw backed away warily from the cats.

"I am Firestar, and this is my daughter Squirrelflight," the red tom said. "There is great danger coming to your clan. It is up to you to stop it.

"I don't know what do to!" Dawnpaw cried out. "I'm just an apprentice."

"Ask your elders about Stormfur, they will tell you where your journey shall begin," Squirrelflight nodded and the two cats walked away to go rejoin StarClan.

"Don't leave!" Dawnpaw cried and bolted upright. She was panting, and her bed was messed up from tossing and turning.

"I'm not going anywhere," Ashflower turned towards the apprentice. "What are you talking about."

"Where did Squirrelflight and Firestar go?" Dawnpaw looked around confused. She was lying in leaves on a dirt floor. She was no longer in the snowy field.

Ashflower looked up abruptly at the apprentice, "Did you say Squirrelflight and Firestar?" The gray medicine cat got a wondering look in her eyes.

"I saw them in a dream! I have to go to the elder's den!" Dawnpaw frantically cried. She tried to get up but a wave of nausea came over her, and she lay back down. "What happened to me?"

"You have a slight concussion when you banged your head. You've been in my den for about three days," Ashflower went back to tending to her herbs.

"Three days!" Dawnpaw shrieked. "I've missed way too much training!" The cat tried to get up again, and actually stood up on shaky legs.

"I wouldn't over do it. You are still extremely weak and your head isn't fully recovered. If you don't let me heal you properly, then you'll have a huge scar and you might black out for a while in the future," Ashflower scolded the young, eager cat.

"I'm never going to become a warrior!" the apprentice wailed. "And besides, it's boring in here."

Ashflower looked at her. "Fine, I'll send in your friend and mentor. Maybe that will make you feel better." The medicine cat left the den and went to go fetch Yellowstripe and Mustangpaw.

Dawnpaw just lay on her nest of leaves contemplating her dream. What were they talking about a terrible danger for? And, what did some cat named Stormfur have to do anything with that? Dawnpaw shook her head, trying to clear her mind of these thoughts.

"Your finally awake!" Mustangpaw bounded over to his best friend. "It's been so boring in the den without you."

Dawnpaw smiled at her fellow apprentice. He always knew how to make her happy. "I didn't think that I was going to be unconscious for so long."

Yellowstripe looked down at her, "I have to admit, my patrols are certainly boring now that you aren't around."

Dawnpaw beamed up at the older cat, "Thanks Yellowstripe."

Her friends stayed for a while longer before Ashflower kicked them out.

"You've been here way too long! This young cat needs some rest!" the medicine cat shooed the others out of her den. "Here, eat these; they'll help you fall asleep." Ashflower gave Dawnpaw a few poppy seeds, and Dawnpaw was on her way to slumber instantly.

**Please please review!!!!!! I need a lots of reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll give out Dawnpaw plushies and even Ashflower cookies!! YAY!!!!!!!!! Please review!**


	6. Frustration

**Sorry for the extremely long update. Next time it won't be as long. I really need a lot of reviews. I know you guys can do it!!! Here's the next chapter, please read and review!!**

"I need to go see the elders," Dawnpaw complained to Ashflower. Dawnpaw was extremely bored in the medicine cat's den all alone. "I need to see them!"

Ashflower looked at the apprentice from where she was tending to her herbs, "How many times do I have to tell you? You have to wait at least two more moons before you can go anywhere. You're lucky even to be alive with that head injury of yours."

Dawnpaw rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but the battle was over two moons ago! I have to be better now!" She got up and walked shakily to the entrance, trying to leave her prison.

"You get back in here!" Ashflower hissed at her patient. She scrambled over to the apprentice and guided her back to her nest.

Dawnpaw sighed. She was so bored and couldn't wait to get out of the horrible place. She spent the whole day there. And, all her friends were about to be made warriors while she was stuck without any training.

"If you want you can come and help me restock these herbs," Ashflower offered.

"No! If you're trying to get me to be a medicine cat, then you're wrong! All I want to do is become a warrior, but I'm stuck here doing nothing! I'm sick of this place!" Dawnpaw cried. "I want to go back to my den."

Ashflower looked at the apprentice sympathetically, "I'm sorry, I know how it feels to get an injury. It's a horrible feeling; not being able to do your warrior duties and go on patrols. But, eventually you'll get better, and maybe soon you'll be able to walk around camp a little."

"How do you know what it's like to get an injury?" Dawnpaw looked at her medicine cat. "You've always been a healthy young cat."

Ashflower looked at the cat, tears welling up in her eyes, "I was born with brain damage. I could never become a warrior. My father wanted to kill me, he always wanted healthy kits so that they could become leaders, and honor him. But, I was a disgrace. So, my mother, who feared for me, took me to the medicine cat's den, and told my father that I was dead. He believed it easily, even though my mother was crying when she told him, he believed because he wanted me dead so badly. So, the medicine cat raised me, my mother was forbidden to see me, for suspicions could rise up. I felt everlasting gratitude to the medicine cat. So, when I was of age, I became her apprentice. Nobody knows that I am the lost kit, not even your father. And, I'm trusting you that it will stay that way."

Dawnpaw nodded in shock, "But, how could your father want to kill you?" She licked her chest, trying to soothe her beating heart.

"He wanted power, and when he couldn't achieve that power, he had kits so they could achieve that power for him," Ashflower was crying hard now.

Dawnpaw looked up at the medicine cat with sympathetic eyes. Her heart felt like it was going to explode with sadness for the cat who was helping to save her life.

"I'm so sorry I said those things to you, I didn't know how bad your life was. I'm really sorry Ashflower," Dawnpaw apologized to the medicine cat. "I won't let any cat hurt you again.

"Thank you Dawnpaw, it means a lot to hear you say that," Ashflower replied.

**Awwwwwwwww, such a nice chapter. I had to put a soppy one in there. Please, read and review!!!**


	7. Realization

**Sooo sorry for the long update. It's just that I've been really, really busy. But, you guys haven't been reviewing!! Here's the next chapter. Please read and review!!**

Dawnpaw crouched low, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the mouse. The mouse rose up and sniffed the air, sensing cat, he scampered away. Dawnpaw growled and lunged after him, but missed her target, plunging into a pile of leaves.

"Nice try," Yellowstripe commented on her poor performance, trying to hold back his laughter.

Dawnpaw looked at the ground sadly, "I'm never going to become a warrior if I can't even stalk a stupid mouse." Her tail and ears drooped. Yellowstripe walked over to her.

"Don't worry, it's okay. It's your first day out here since the injury, you're going to have to take it easy."

"No! It's not fair! I really try hard to get these things right, and all you do is laugh at me!" Dawnpaw hissed at him. She ran trough the leaves back to the ThunderClan camp. Yellowstripe just looked after her, dumbfounded.

Dawnpaw ran into the camp, her face stained with tears. Her paws were hurting her after all the running that she wasn't used to. As she passed the elder's den, Brownpelt called out to her.

"What's bothering you little one?"

She looked at him blankly. Then, as if a switch had turned on in her head, she bounded over to him.

"Can you tell me about Stormfur?"

Brownpelt looked at her with his amber eyes. "I don't know much about him, but I bet Hollyfur does. Go get a mouse, and maybe we'll persuade her to tell us." Dawnpaw's eyes shined and she bolted over to the fresh kill pile. Digging into it, the apprentice found the juiciest mouse in there.

"Hey Dawnpaw, want to go hunting with me and Firebolt?" Mustangpaw asked her as she was picking out the mouse, hoping to get some alone time with her.

"Sorry, can't, bye!" she ran off, eager to hear what the elders had to say. Mustangpaw looked after her, hurt.

"Hi, Hollyfur," Dawnpaw bowed her head and presented the mouse to the elder.

"What is this all about?" she rasped, crunching the mouse between her old teeth. "Why have you come to me? Nobody needs me anymore!"

Dawnpaw looked at the old cat incredulously. She was so full of knowledge, how could no cat want her information? "Well, I was wondering if you could tell me about Stormfur."

"AAAHHH! One of the great cats of the past. Of course I'll tell you," Hollyfur sat down, getting herself comfortable for the story. "Now, you know that Squirrelpaw, Crowpaw, Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, Feathertail, and Stormfur went on a journey to the sun-drown place. Well, when they were returning they passed through the home of the Tribe of Rushing Water. Stormfur fell in love with Brook Where Small Fish Swim. But, he left her to go back to the clans when Feathertail died. Then, when he was leading the cats to their new home, he decided to stay with Brook and the tribe. He had kits with her, and one of the qualitites that kits and grandkits and great grandkits of theirs had lime green eyes."

Dawnpaw looked at her for a few seconds, realization creeping up on her. She knew what she had to do. "Oh, thanks so much Hollyfur, this really means a lot to me."

Hollyfur nodded, "It's no problem kit." Dawnpaw left the elder's den to go look for Mustangpaw. He was over by the fresh-kill pile. She quickly ran to him.

"Mustangpaw! I have to go to the Tribe of Rushing Water!"

**Come on guys, I know you can give me more reviews!! And, also vote if you think Mustangpaw should go with Dawnpaw to the Tribe of Rushing Water. Even though I think I already have an idea. Read and review!!**


	8. GoodBye

**Wow, I am sooo pathetic. I really have to update sooner. It's not fair to you guys. Please, please, please review!!!!!!**

Mustangpaw stared at his friend in disbelief, "What are you talking about? Who's the Tribe of Rushing Water? This is your home! You have to stay!"

Dawnpaw put her tail over his mouth, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's just that I think that's where my real father is. I mean, I don't look or act anything like Thunderstar. Please, come with me."

Mustangpaw looked at the pleading, young she-cat. He felt a rush of something he had never experienced before. He felt like he wanted to always protect her, and never let her leave his side. But, he knew he couldn't leave his clan, not when they were going to be warriors so soon.

Mustangpaw looked down at the ground, not wanting to look into his friend's eyes, "I'm really sorry Dawnpaw, it's just that I can't leave now. We're going to be warriors soon."

Dawnpaw's face fell. "If that's how it's going to be, then I guess it's goodbye."

Mustangpaw licked her ears. "I'll see you soon." He said that knowing that he would probably never see his best friend again.

Dawnpaw walked to the camp exit. She looked back one last time at the life she had held. And, would probably never hold again.

**Danwpaw's on her mission!! Now it starts to get really, really exciting. Please, please, please review!!!!!**


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